Peritonitis in adult horses: a review of 21 cases.

The research article reviews the clinical manifestations, diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of peritonitis in 21 adult horses not associated with gastrointestinal rupture or abdominal surgery.

Clinical Presentation

• Most of the horses exhibited signs of colic,
• Pyrexia or fever was reported in more than two-thirds of the cases,
• Less frequent symptoms included weight loss and diarrhoea.

Diagnosis

• The diagnosis of peritonitis was mainly based on the elevated nucleated cell count in the peritoneal fluid (greater than 10(10)/litre),
• Common blood abnormalities identified included either neutropenia (decreased count of neutrophils) or neutrophilia (increased neutrophils), evident in 17 of the subjects,
• An increased level of fibrinogen, a protein that indicates inflammation and/or tissue damage, was prevalent in 14 horses.

Treatment and Outcome

• About half of the horses included in the study responded well to intensive antibiotic therapy,
• However, the remaining ones did not show considerable improvement even after treatment. They eventually had to be euthanized either due to the necessity of exploratory abdominal surgery or their overall clinical deterioration,
• Post-mortem examinations performed on 8 horses revealed necrosis or perforation of the bowel wall, signifying severe complications of the condition.

In summary, peritonitis in horses is a severe condition with variable clinical presentations. Diagnosis relies heavily on peritoneal fluid testing to identify inflammation. Even with intensive antibiotic treatment, the prognosis can be poor as seen in almost half of the cases in this study.